Al Ain lost to Manchester City 0-6 for their second successive loss at Club World Cup
Al Ain's Serbian head coach Vladimir Ivic gestures during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group G football match against England's Manchester City at the Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta on June 22, 2025.
Al Ain's Serbian head coach Vladimir Ivic gestures during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group G football match against England's Manchester City at the Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta on June 22, 2025.
AFP
Dubai: Al Ain coach Vladimir Ivic was left disappointed by his team's performance as they suffered their second successive defeat in the Club World Cup on Sunday, but said that the experience will help team build on confidence for the future. Al Ain were outplayed by Manchester City who booked their place in the last 16 with the 6-0 win in Atlanta.
"We knew we were up against a strong team, but our boys lost focus during the match that cost us heavily," he said. "But this has been a very valuable experience for the boys. We have to learn from such teams on how to play with the right mindset to win matches," he added.
Ilkay Gundogan put City ahead before starlet Claudio Echeverri netted his first goal for the club with a free-kick and Erland Haaland slotted in the third with a penalty.
In the second half Gundogan struck again, Oscar Bobb rolled in the fifth and Rayan Cherki grabbed his first City goal as they pulled level with Juventus on six points at the top of Group G. The result also confirmed Juve's place in the next round.
Ivic said despite the result, he was happy with the defence of the team. "I want to commend the way the defence played. The last 10 minutes the boys weren't disciplined and that showed in the middle, so we have to review ourselves and understand why this did happen after all,β he added.
Al Ain's defender Erik Jorgens de Menezes said despite the poor results the team was keen to end the tournament on a high. "Our small mistakes in both matches proved to be the difference. In a high-profile tournament like this we don't have room for this. We want to put the losses behind and will focus on the final match and try to get a positive result."
Moroccan right winger Nassim Al Chadli said the tournament offered an opportunity to learn many things. "This tournament was a big stage to learn from, to watch the big teams play and learn from them.
βIt was a difficult match, but we got to learn many things. Despite the result, I believe we played very well on the defence against a team that only needs three or four chances to score,β he added.
Al Ain will play their last Group G match against Morocco's Wydad AC on Thursday. "We have three days to prepare ourselves, so we are hoping to do our best and try to claim the full points in that match."
Jai is a seasoned journalist with more than two decades of experience across India and the UAE, specialising in sports reporting. Throughout his distinguished career, he has had the privilege of covering some of the biggest names and events in sports, including cricket, tennis, Formula 1 and golf. A former first-division cricket league captain himself, he brings not only a deep understanding of the game but also a cricketer's discipline to his work. His unique blend of athletic insight and journalistic expertise gives him a wide-ranging perspective that enriches his storytelling, making his coverage both detailed and engaging. Driven by an unrelenting passion for sports, he continues to craft compelling narratives that resonate with readers. As the day winds down for most, he begins his work, ensuring that the most captivating stories make it to the print edition in time for readers to receive them bright and early the next morning.
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